After Three Years in Prison, I Reject the Alpha | Read Free Preview

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Chapter 1

Lyra’s POV
I stood before the stone prison door as the heavy iron gate clanged shut behind me.
The entrance to the territory was deathly silent. Not a single soul was in sight.
Kane didn’t come.
The last time he visited me in prison was a year ago. A thick pane of glass had separated us as I clutched the communicator, my eyes swollen and red from crying. He had promised then that he would come for me and take me home.
My name is Lyra. I am a lowborn wolf with a bloodline so weak that I was once suspected of being an Omega.
Three years ago, my Alpha, Kane, leader of the Shadowfen Pack, lost control during a clash with the Blood Clan and nearly shattered the Moon Truce Treaty.
To protect him, and to keep his pack from being judged by the Elders’ Council, I stepped forward and took the blame.
In return, he promised to protect Greystone Haven, the place that raised me, and to give me a future.
Back then, he had bitten into the back of my neck and marked me, saying it was proof that he would come for me when the time was right.
Now, more than a thousand days and nights had passed.
I clenched the few crumpled bills the guard slipped into my hand upon my release and stood at the desolate border crossing, waiting for someone who never came.
Maybe something came up and delayed him.
He was an Alpha, after all. His responsibilities never ended.
I repeated that excuse to myself, but disappointment gnawed at me like a blade lodged between my shoulder blades.
With the last of my money, I hailed a ride and gave the driver the address of the place I once called home, the grand house where Kane lived.
The car sped down the road.
At last, the familiar front door came into view. After all this time, I was back.
I took a deep breath and swallowed the pain, even rehearsing how I would act angry and punish him for standing me up.
I raised my hand and knocked.
“Coming—”
The voice that answered was a woman’s.
A voice I knew far too well.
I froze as the door swung open.
Maya stood there.
The “little sister” Kane had raised since childhood after she lost her parents and was taken in by Shadowfen. The same Maya whose hair Kane always ruffled, insisting she was nothing more than family.
She wore a silky nightgown, her hair loose over her shoulders, a glass of milk cradled in her hands.
She showed no surprise at seeing me.
“Lyra? You’re out.”
My gaze drifted downward against my will, settling on her belly.
The fabric stretched outward in a clear, unmistakable curve.
My mind went blank, buzzing uselessly.
Then the rich aroma of soup drifted out from inside the house.
Kane appeared, carefully carrying a bowl from the kitchen.
He stopped short when he saw me.
“Lyra? You’re out today?” His voice was calm, as though nothing were wrong.
I shivered. “Whose baby is she carrying?”
Kane’s brow furrowed at once.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he walked past me and handed the bowl to Maya.
“Maya, drink the soup while it’s hot. You should go back to your room and rest. Don’t catch a cold.”
Maya nodded obediently and headed toward the master bedroom.
The door closed behind her.
Kane turned back to me, and whatever warmth he had shown moments earlier vanished without a trace.
His eyes swept over my clothes, faded and threadbare from years of washing. Disgust twisted his features, and he even took a half step back.
“Since you’re back, go take a shower in the rear bathroom. Don’t bring dirt into the house. It’s bad for the baby.”
Dirt?
I had spent three years locked in a pitch-black hellhole for him.
Today was the day I regained my freedom. He hadn’t bothered to show up, yet here he was, cooking soup for another woman.
“Kane!” I shouted, my eyes burning. “I spent three damn years in prison for you! And this is the ‘future’ you promised me? Answer me. Is that your child or not?!”
My words ignited his temper.
He yanked his arm free from my grip and, with the ruthless strength of an Alpha, slammed me against the wall.
“Lyra! What the hell are you doing?” he growled, his voice low and furious. “Maya is in a fragile condition. She can’t handle stress. If you frighten her, I will never forgive you.”
“You volunteered to take the fall back then. I never forced you,” he continued coldly. “I didn’t mistreat you during those three years. I even gave you my mark to secure your status in the pack. Don’t act like I owe you anything.”
Volunteered.
Didn’t mistreat.
Status.
“Remove the mark, Kane,” I said quietly, my calm voice frightening even myself. “Apply to the elders to dissolve the Mate Bond. I’m giving you and your ‘family’ space.”
He spun toward me and strode forward. “Lyra! You just got out, and you want to cause trouble already?”
“I said, end everything.” I met his gaze without flinching.
He inhaled deeply, forcing down his anger, his tone softening slightly. “Enough. Stop throwing a tantrum. You need rest. Tomorrow, come with me to my parents’ house. They want to see you.”
Under his breath, he muttered, “I shouldn’t have let you get too comfortable in there. Now you don’t even know your place. A damn Omega who took the fall…”
Something inside me finally snapped.
“Smack!”
I raised my hand and struck him hard across the face.
His head turned to the side, a red handprint blooming on his cheek.
He didn’t hit me back. Not yet.

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Chapter 2

Lyra’s POV
“Lyra! Are you out of your damn mind?” he finally roared, disbelief dripping from every word.
The master bedroom door slammed open, and Maya stormed out.
She caught sight of the red mark on Kane’s face and let out a sharp scream.
“Lyra! How dare you hit your Alpha!” She clutched her swollen belly, her voice shrill and cutting. “Do you even know how hard Kane works to keep this pack together?”
Her smug, commanding presence made my stomach churn.
“Who the hell asked for your opinion?” I stared coldly at her bulging belly. “You took over the Luna’s room and now you’re using your unborn child as a bargaining chip. Maya, did Shadowfen really raise you to crawl into someone else’s bed like a snake?”
“Enough!” Kane barked.
Maybe some flicker of guilt lingered from when I hit him earlier. But now, standing between Maya and me, his patience was gone.
He shoved me hard. I slammed into the wall once more, pain shooting through my back.
“Shut your mouth. Get the hell out!” He pointed at the door. “Get out of my place right now. Take your bad luck with you, and don’t ever come back.”
Bad luck.
He said I brought bad luck.
I spent over a thousand dark, miserable days locked in a stone cell for him. I came back battered but still hopeful, and this was my reward. Branded as bad luck.
Right then, Maya let out a pained moan.
Her face turned ghostly pale. One hand clutched her belly as her body went limp and began to collapse.
“Kane… my stomach… it hurts so bad…”
Her voice was weak, tears streaming down her face in heavy drops.
I watched Kane’s expression change instantly.
All the rage vanished, replaced by pure panic.
Without hesitation, he released me and spun toward Maya, scooping her into his arms.
When he looked back at me, every trace of warmth in his eyes was gone.
Only a cold warning remained.
“Lyra, listen to me very carefully.”
He spoke each word like a hammer striking stone.
“If anything happens to Maya or the baby she’s carrying…”
His jaw tightened as he ground his teeth.
“I won’t hesitate to use my Alpha privileges to throw you into the coldest, most desolate prison in the Northern Territories. And this time, you’ll never come out.”
With that, he didn’t spare me another glance. Carrying Maya, he strode back into the master bedroom.
The door slammed shut in my face.
My sacrifices over the past three years ended right there.
I stood frozen, my back pressed against the cold wall, listening to the muffled sounds inside.
Kane’s deep, soothing voice. Maya’s weak sobs.
They were family.
And I was just the outsider who brought “bad luck.”
I suddenly remembered that night three years ago.
Under the moonlight, he bit the back of my neck. When he finished marking me, he whispered, “This is your proof of waiting, Lyra. Wait for me. I swear I’ll give you a future.”
Proof.
Future.
I lifted my hand and touched the mark at the back of my neck, the one that would never fade.
It used to be the reason I survived each day. Now it felt like a cruel brand, a reminder of how foolish I had been.
Footsteps sounded from inside the room.
I instinctively stepped back, slipping into the shadows of the living room.
Kane emerged from the master bedroom and gently closed the door behind him.
He didn’t leave right away. Instead, he stood there with his back to me, shoulders slumped slightly.
For a brief second, I actually saw a flicker of exhaustion in him.
Then he walked to the window, poured himself a drink, and drained it in one gulp.
He turned, scanning the empty living room. His gaze passed right over the shadows where I hid, as if I no longer existed.
Maybe, to him, I didn’t.
“Good riddance,” he muttered to himself. “Gone for good.”
He poured another glass and held it loosely in his hand.
“An Omega. An Omega who’s been to prison. What kind of future could I possibly give her?”
His voice was quiet, but every word struck sharp and clear.
“Letting her stay in the pack is the greatest mercy I could offer.”
Mercy.
I clapped a hand over my mouth, afraid I might laugh.
So three years in prison had been charity. His mercy.
From the master bedroom, Maya’s gentle voice called out, “Kane…”
He immediately set the glass down. All irritation vanished, replaced by a softness I had never received from him.
“I’m here.”
He hurried back to the bedroom. Before closing the door, he glanced at the living room one last time.
That look carried a storm of complicated emotions.
Then the door shut.
All the light, all the sound, vanished with it.
I remained in the shadows, the ache in my back spreading, but the pain in my chest was far worse.
I turned and walked out of the house without looking back.
Only when I could no longer feel Kane’s presence did the tears finally come, bitter and delayed.
I wiped them away roughly.
Not worth crying over an Alpha like him.
With the few bills left in my pocket and my body still aching, I made my way toward Greystone Haven, guided by memory alone.
Hours later, when the familiar walls came into view, my legs gave out, and I nearly collapsed.
“Lyra? Is… is that you?”
A trembling, aged voice called out.
It was Luna Elara, the head of Greystone Haven.
She stumbled forward, shaking all over. When she saw me, her cloudy eyes filled instantly with tears. She didn’t ask a single question. She simply grabbed me with her thin, bony hands and pulled me inside.
She brought me a bowl of warm water and told me to wash up.
I was parched and gulped it down greedily. Then I froze.
From the shadows in the corner, several pairs of small eyes glimmered faintly in the dim light, fixed on the bowl in my hands. I could hear the quiet, strained swallowing.
I looked closer, and my heart clenched.
The children looked terrible. Their hair was dull, ribs visible beneath their skin, clothes ragged and threadbare.
A sick feeling hit me.
“Elara,” my voice tightened, “Shadowfen promised money and food. Didn’t they send it this month?”

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Chapter 3

Lyra POV
Elara froze mid-wipe.
She stayed silent for a long moment before sighing. “Kid… ever since you left that month, not a single penny, not even a scrap of meat, has come through.”
What?!
“And the trades with other clans…”
“Gone. All gone.” Elara shook her head as tears slid down her cheeks. “They say this place is cursed now, because someone here broke the Moon Pact. No one wants to deal with us anymore.”
“For the past three years, we’ve only survived because the kids who left earlier smuggled back whatever food they could. Otherwise, we would’ve starved.”
My sacrifice didn’t just get me betrayed. It nearly dragged my family and these innocent children into the abyss.
Guilt, rage, and regret crashed over me like a tidal wave.
I tried to drop to my knees and beg for forgiveness, but old Elara caught me in a tight embrace.
“Foolish child. You’re back. That’s what matters. You’re back.” She patted my back gently, just like she did when I was little.
I swallowed down the lump in my throat.
Now wasn’t the time to break down.
I rolled up my sleeves and began helping care for the kids. Watching them curl up on thin mats, I felt my resolve harden into ice.
Late at night, familiar footsteps echoed outside.
Kane’s.
I stepped out.
He was leaning against the car. When he saw me, he straightened and strode over, his expression softening just a fraction.
“Lyra, come home with me.”
He reached out to grab me.
I sidestepped.
His hand froze in midair before he pulled it back. Lowering his voice, he said, “Maya’s fine. Just mood swings. I’ve already sent her to my parents’ place to rest.”
“Our house… it’s just us now. Tomorrow, my parents want to see us.”
I nearly sneered.
When they need me, I’m the Luna expected to meet the elders.
When they don’t, I’m the cursed sinner they want to cast aside.
“Kane.” I pointed at the stone house behind me. “Three years ago, what oath did you swear under the moonlight?”
“You promised to protect this place with the power of Shadowfen. You swore to treat these kids as your own clan.”
“And what happened? You cut off supplies, let rumors run wild, and starved these children down to skin and bones. Is that your sacred vow?”
Kane’s brow furrowed. Impatience flashed across his face, but he sighed anyway.
“Lyra, I had my reasons. After you left, there was chaos within the pack. Resources were tight. I had to prioritize the core members first.”
“As for the rumors… I couldn’t control those either.”
“Hardships?” I snapped, letting out a bitter laugh. “Your so-called hardships are driving a nice car, living in a warm house, spoiling your pregnant Beta, while refusing to spare even a bite for these starving kids?”
“Take your hardships and get the hell out!” I pointed toward the road. “Tomorrow at sunrise, we’re going to the Elders’ Council to wipe the slate clean.”
Kane’s face drained of color. “Lyra, don’t be ungrateful—”
Before he could finish, the door behind him creaked open.
Elara stepped out, wrapped in a tattered cloak. The children followed, awakened by the noise. They huddled by the doorway, eyes wide and frightened as they peeked out.
The moment Kane saw them, his expression changed.
Without hesitation, he dropped to one knee.
“Lyra, no matter what, this is all my fault.” He looked up at me, eyes heavy with regret. “I failed you. I broke my vows. Please don’t deny what we have. Don’t break the bond.”
That kneel put me, and all of Greystone Haven, on the chopping block.
Elara grabbed my sleeve, tears shimmering in her eyes. “Child… the Moon Goddess teaches us forgiveness. The Alpha knows he was wrong…”
At that moment, Kane pulled out a small comm device and whispered a few words. He then stood and said to Elara, “I’ve just ordered a transfer of ten thousand dollars from the territory. It’ll arrive before dawn. Use it to buy meat and new clothes for the kids.”
Ten thousand dollars.
For a place barely hanging on, it was lifesaving.
Elara’s face flickered between shock and joy, but her eyes pleaded with me in silence.
I looked at the hungry faces glowing faintly in the dark, and the refusal at the tip of my tongue was forced back down.
He was using innocent lives to corner me.
“…Fine.” My voice came out hoarse. “I’ll go back with you.”
Back at the Pack House
Kane reached for my old cloak, his voice gentle. “Hungry? I had someone prepare hot soup and roasted meat.”
“I’ll stay in the guest room on the east side.” I stepped away.
His brow creased. “I’ll clear out Maya’s things. After everything I’ve done, you’re still making trouble?”
I shot a cold glance toward the master bedroom. “I don’t want to stay there. It’s filthy. I’m afraid it’ll taint my wolf spirit.”
“You—” His face darkened, chest heaving, but in the end he forced the words out. “Fine. Calm down.”
With that, he turned and strode away.
I lay on the cold stone bed in the guest room, staring at the ceiling until dawn.
The next morning, he pushed the door open, dressed sharply in Alpha formal wear. He tossed an ornate gift box onto the bed.
“Change. My parents and the Elders are waiting.”
His tone allowed no argument. “And remember, keep your emotions and words in check.”
Inside the box was a pale-colored long dress, carrying the unmistakable scent of Maya.
I put it on in silence.
The beast cart rumbled into the valley where the old Pack House stood. The moment I stepped through the gate, former Luna Selene rushed toward me, eyes red-rimmed as she grabbed my hand.
“Lyra! My poor girl! These past three years must have been hell for you.”
Former Alpha Thorin sat upright in the main seat, nodding solemnly. “Shadowfen owes you a great debt.”
I withdrew my hand and inclined my head slightly. “Lord Thorin, Lady Selene, there’s no need to revisit the past.”
Selene’s expression stiffened briefly before she masked it with warmth and ushered me toward the banquet hall.
Kane stayed close at my side, his gaze sharp with warning.
I chewed my food, which tasted like cardboard.
A few minutes later, noise erupted at the entrance.
Maya walked in arm in arm with a dignified, middle-aged she-wolf. Maya wore an elegant gown, her makeup flawless, her smile sweet and demure.
“Kane, Father, Mother. Sorry we’re late,” she said softly. “My mother heard about today’s family feast and came all the way from Morningstar Ridge.”
Thorin and Selene immediately stepped forward to welcome them.
The woman introduced as Maya’s mother, the noble Lady Hope of the powerful northern clan Morningstar Ridge, swept her sharp gaze across the room. At last, her eyes settled squarely on me.
“So,” she said coolly, “this must be Lyra, huh?”

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